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Secure the Future or Salvage the Present

First off this may be way to early for this thread, but the lack of talent is wavering to even the dedicated here on this board. If the Pacers fail to make the playoffs for the second straight year we are going to have to rebuild. O'Brien is not a rebuilding type coach. We might have a top 10 pick this year. So do you draft for JOB and retool or do you ship out what you can and pick a RAW player. Looking at the draft class and we have a lot of 1 and done players. Shawne was a 1 and done and he has yet to grasp this complicated sytem. Lets be honest here. Jim O'Brien demands his players to be self-motivated and they have to have a high bball IQ. There are very few players in the NBA, let alone college, that are highly intelligent, self-motivated. And the ones that fit the bill have minimum availability.

Is O'Brien's future in jeopardy here for the security the organization's future? Is it even a consideration?

The Pacers need change (paging Obama). And many of you think that Walsh, Bird, the Simmons, heck the whole state of Indiana are incapable of that. We know that Bird has to be on the phone. If we get picks and drop whatever self-motivated, intelligent players we have (Dunleavy is here, Foster?) then what will be going through the mind of Obie?

Is our coach willing to wait not just this year, but maybe the next two to get the team he needs to compete? Do we want that?

Is it this black and white:

Secure the future:
trade Foster and JO for expiring contracts and picks (maybe young talent)
use picks to get Raw but promising players (face it there will be a one year period where even Beasley and Gordon need to adjust. Look at Durants numbers, high TO and low FG%)

Salvage the Present:
Trade Diogu, Daniels, and Williams for veterans, late picks, rights to age Euros
Draft seasoned college stars or Euro players

Now I realize that this presentation of philosophy is banking on the idea that young college stars cannot fit in JOB's system. Some may but how do we know for certain? From previous stars, what indications do we have that the young ones are ready for a step like this? Our pick would have to be a viable 2 option at least in this system.

Re: Secure the Future or Salvage the Present

As far as I'm concerned, what O'Brien wants or likes is irrelevant.
He's a solid head coach and I like the guy, but NBA coaches come
and go. He isn't guaranteed anything.

As for how TBTP should handle things, I'd say screw this year and
try and position the franchise to be back at a contending level
3-4 years from now. I'm more interested in winning 55 games
in the 2010-2011 season than I am in wether we win 35 or
or 45 games the next year or two.

Re: Secure the Future or Salvage the Present

As far as I'm concerned, what O'Brien wants or likes is irrelevant.
He's a solid head coach and I like the guy, but NBA coaches come
and go. He isn't guaranteed anything.

As for how TBTP should handle things, I'd say screw this year and
try and position the franchise to be back at a contending level
3-4 years from now. I'm more interested in winning 55 games
in the 2010-2011 season than I am in wether we win 35 or
or 45 games the next year or two.

The problem with the complete rebuild is that it fails more often than not. Everyone always pointed to the Bulls as a successful rebuild and we now see where amassing young talent got them. You have to get lucky on every draft pick, and then you have to somehow get all those players to mesh into a team. I guess what I'm saying is that for every successfuly rebuild through the draft like Portland, there are three failures like Atlanta, Chicago, and Philly. I'm not saying not to try, but it is not a magic bullet.

Re: Secure the Future or Salvage the Present

The problem with the complete rebuild is that it fails more often than not. Everyone always pointed to the Bulls as a successful rebuild and we now see where amassing young talent got them. You have to get lucky on every draft pick, and then you have to somehow get all those players to mesh into a team. I guess what I'm saying is that for every successfuly rebuild through the draft like Portland, there are three failures like Atlanta, Chicago, and Philly. I'm not saying not to try, but it is not a magic bullet.

What do we have to lose at this point? We're on the verge of being in the lottery for the second straight season, and are getting progressively worse with each passing game. At least with a rebuilding team, there is some hope. There's no hope with the way we're going right now.

Look at Miami. They stayed the path and are now the worst (and before the Shaq trade, one of the oldest) team in the NBA. Worse than the rebuilding Wolves, Sonics, and Blazers. This is where we're heading if TPTB don't get their heads out of their collective asses and realize that continuing down the current path is tantamount to suicide.

We've already hit rock bottom in attendance. A rebuild hurts nothing at this point, and has the potential to gain so much more.